The Negative Media “The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses” (X). The Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press clauses in the First Amendment of the Constitution’s Bill of Rights protects citizens’ rights to obtain and publish information and their opinions. This is done without any government censorship or fear of punishment. Censorship is when the government examines publication and prohibits offensive material from being published and distributed (“Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press”). This freedom applies to all types of printed, electronic, and broadcasted material in the …show more content…
According to Gottfried and Shearer, “A majority of U.S. adults – 62% – get news on social media, and 18% do so often...Two-thirds of Facebook users (66%) get news on the site, nearly six-in-ten Twitter users (59%) get news on Twitter, and seven-in-ten Reddit users get news on that platform” (Gottfried and Shearer). The vast majority of adults receive their media updates on unreliable social media interfaces. Social media platforms are unreliable because they allow for the creation of fake accounts. Accounts are set-up utilizing similarities in logos and names for the sole purpose of disseminating fake stories and news. Fake news is more present in today’s society due to the frequent use of social media platforms as a quick source of current events. This increased use of online sites for information allows for an escalation in misinformation as a result of the establishment of fake news websites resulting in a negative effect on society. While fake news is a growing issue in media and the freedom of the press, discrimination is a topic that has always bore a negative effect on society. Discrimination is prevalent in every type of media interface. Cambridge Dictionary defines discrimination as “the treatment of a person or particular group of people differently, in a way that is worse than the way people are usually treated” (“Discrimination”). Discrimination can be by race, age, or gender. All are equally prevalent
“The media is the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses. “Malcom X
Social Media is a form of communication in which a person shares information, personal ideas, and thoughts online. The foundation of social media began in 1997 when the first social media site Six Degrees was developed. Since 1997, social media has become an iconic name and has become part of this generation's conversation. There are over 100 million people using social media to gain access to the digital world, with over 20 social media sites including Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram (Milanovic 1). Roughly 80 percent of teens and 20 percent of adults use social media daily and almost half of the users were bullied or criticized for a single comment. Comments that include discrimination, sexism, or political beliefs can be retweeted to thousands in a matter of hours. “Accusations go viral, globally, within hours, and instead of having dozens of angry voices baying for your blood, you have tens of thousands” (Haley 1). Although social media has made it easier to communicate these sites, make it easier to be critical or prejudiced to others online instead of face-to-face.
I could not imagine a free society without this basic right. American citizen and the media can express their own opinions without fear of prosecution or suppression by the government. The 1st Amendment extends the liberty of free speech to the media by citing freedom of the press as a fundamental right of American citizens. The creators of the constitution were careful to include press freedom. They realized that a government which controls the media can easily become an oppressive government. However, there are exceptions to Free Speech. The U.S. probably has the most unfettered policy in the world on free speech and free press, but even this has some limits. Many people think there are no exceptions to what you can say and cannot say legally, but there are several. For example, you can not threaten to kill the President of the United States. As technology changes, more ways of expressing ideas or opinions come under the “speech”
Throughout the years of US jurisprudence, the Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment to allow latitude to speech of the press and of the people. However, the restrictions on speech the Court determined to fall outside the limits of permitted speech and therefore considered “unprotected speech” include fighting words, incitement to imminent lawless action, defamation, solicitations to commit crimes, child pornography, blackmail, perjury, obscenity, and false & misleading commercial speech. To look back at recorded foundations of the first amendment regarding speech – words used to incite imminent lawless action, can be seen in Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969). The U.S. Supreme Court held that “the constitutional guarantees of free speech and free press do not permit a State to forbid or proscribe advocacy of the use of force or of law violation except where such advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action.” That is to say, a state can’t stop free speech unless there is imminent danger of inciting violence.
The media could be determined a tremendous and powerful weapon. If used properly, it can provide society with great benefits, but if used in negative ways, it can destroy. In a modern world where information can spread as fast as wildfires, a reason to monitor or limit types of media appear rational, but along with that, irrational cases still exist. This argument has circled in the United States for a while and a decision needs to be made. Parents and citizens around the United States think concerningly about what our eyes witness on the news, in stores, on billboards, etc. When the government determines what appears in the media, it not only belittles citizens, but it denies the First Amendment, which states the basic rights of an American. Censorship of the media, as displayed in 1984, clearly exhibits the violation of the First Amendment, rightfully given to the citizens of the United States, by the founding fathers of this country.
People are given the right through the freedom of press to debate or ague an issue that they believe to have received little justification. The liberty to express social views through media is necessary in the development of a healthy and efficient democracy, as making statements without fear of persecution constitutes the “eyes and ears” of the public. For example, it is stated in the excerpt from the Massachusetts Bill of Rights of 1780 that “the liberty of press is essential to the security of freedom in a state.” This statement supports that the freedom of press secures the other rights of a citizen, as it promotes the free exercise of words and language. This document, along with the final draft of the Bill of Rights, contributed to the basis of the freedom of press because the right to express one’s personal views and perspectives “ought [are] not to be restricted” or abridged to any
In the book Freedom for the Thought that we Hate, author Anthony Lewis takes a simply phrased law, the First Amendment and shows how complex freedom of speech really is once put into the real world of freedom, as we know it. He shows through his rejections of absolutism, strong support towards freedom restriction, and objective analysis of Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, that the United States press is unlike any other in the world.
With the popularization and expansion of the internet in recent years, America and other Western countries have found themselves developing into media-dominated cultures. Social media platforms, forums, and other types of online interaction are becoming primary forms of communication between people with similar or differing views, bringing political topics into daily discussion. However, the implications of such a broad and unrestrained network lead to negative outcomes. Whether it be in the form of a direct slur used on Twitter or a slight jab in a discussion board, the ongoing presence of racism on the internet cannot be denied. Although some forms may appear more indirectly, the effects are not diminished; implicit forms of racism are just as impactful as direct attacks. This paper argues that the internet serves as a carrier of racism by allowing racism to thrive through forms of racial microaggressions and cloaked websites. Toward the end of the essay, possible solutions for this issue will be discussed as well.
In the United States, freedom of the press and the broader freedom of speech are protected by the First
As always, there are those individuals that oppose the power to censor. There are members of society that believe in the freedom to speak publicly and to publish. This is a basic belief in the freedom of expression and is to be protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. On the eve of the bicentennial of the Bill of Rights, the first wave of a nationwide survey, comprising more than 1500 citizens was conducted. Through this survey it was found that American rate free speech as their second most precious First Amendment right and regard a free press highly in the abstract. Although there are strong cases made for and against censorship, the rising trend calling for censorship can threaten our basic rights to free expression and the right to be informed. At the center of the debate is the First Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees our right to read, speak, write, and communicate freely. The government at the state or federal level cannot
First of all, this is the definition of freedom of the press from lawbrain.com. Freedom of the press guarantees the rights, “to gather, publish, and distribute information and ideas without government restriction or restraint”. Also it is
"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." This quote by A.J. Liebling illustrates the reality of where the media stands in today's society. Over the past twenty years there has been an increase in power throughout the media with regard to politics. The media's original purpose was to inform the public of the relevant events that occurred around the world. The job of the media is to search out the truth and relay that news to the people. The media has the power to inform the people but often times the stories given to the public are distorted for one reason or another. Using slant and sensationalism, the media has begun to shape our views in society and the process by which
Like many people my age, media is a huge part of my daily life and is prevalent in all my memories. Media such as photography brings to life memories I otherwise would have forgotten, while the internet allows me to connect with others from across the world and gives me access to resources like Khan Academy to aid me in school. Media also has more negative impacts, such as interfering with family time. Whether its effect is positive or negative, media has influenced my life since the start and this reflection helped me realize that.
The media and technology impacts socialisation by becoming a determining factor that sets trends on how communication and knowledge sharing is processed. I have conducted a research using a questionnaire to analyse how media and technology affects socialisation between generation x (born 1965-1976) and generation z (1996-2009).
Social media like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and many more are well used nowadays. I have found most of the news which is known to be fake are spreading hugely in social media. Recently the news was so much viral in the social media. The news was about a “Muslim migrant” who was accused of beating up a boy on crutches. This video was so much viral in the social media and the highlighted thing is the boy was claimed to be immigrant. This news was published in Netherlands where there was a big controversy in many parts of the world. But later the news was found to be fake and not convincing. Even the news broadcaster and the video poster were found to be fake for this news. The most surprising thing was that the president of United States “Donald Trump” has shared this news on a social media without knowing the point. It’s totally shocking that the person which is well reputed and known has shared the fake news without finding the truth. Because of these kinds of a crucial mistake made by such person has affected the society and the people. He mainly accused the boy as an immigrant which was totally false and unexpected. Even most of the people trust this fake news with only with the title which can bring unwanted accident. So, we can say that the people should be concerned about the news and the reality. We should have to point out whether it's fake or not instead of blaming or degrading others without real and truthful news.